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Derek Trucks Band :: 07.12.04 :: Hot Tin Roof :: Martha's Vineyard, MA
Trucks and Mattison by Tamera Reisiger |
If music is about connecting with the crowd, Derek Trucks and his band had a mountain to climb at the Hot Tin Roof in Martha's Vineyard on June 12, 2004. There was the first wave of baseball-capped college kids down for the summer and the year-round locals who sometimes seem too local to give a shit. But, hell, I was suffering culture shock myself--from San Francisco to tranquil off-season Vineyard. It was an R-and-R thing and I was fortunate that Trucks was going to arrive on my final Saturday night there.
The Roof has always been a challenging venue for musicians: a 45-minute ferry ride and no way off the rock until the next day. I remember one night Keith Richards actually got on stage there. Yes, it has attracted its share of legends; it's the only true music venue on the idyllic island, once known as a bohemian haven. This year's staff seems more dedicated than ever in getting musicians like Trucks to make the seaward journey; Blues Traveler is booked to play the Roof later this summer.
The Derek Trucks Band took the stage at 10:30 p.m. and energetically rocked straight through until the strict 12:30 a.m. curfew. I had never seen him with his band, only when he was a friend with Phil Lesh back around 1999.
Earlier in the day, Trucks was on the local radio station, 92.7 WMVY. He was talking about a book, The Mysticism of Sound and Music. Here's a sentence from it: "Why is music called the divine art? ...In music alone we see God free from all forms and thoughts." The station played some tracks from The Derek Trucks Band's latest studio CD Soul Serenade and also spoke about the June release of the band's two-disc Live at Georgia Theatre.
Derek Truck Band by Tamera Reisiger |
Singer Carly Simon and her friends opened The Tin Roof in 1979, and in doing so created a wonderful place to see music. With two bars inside, colorful murals on the walls, booths and tables in the back, a spacious dance area, an outside patio with another bar, and a raw oyster bar it truly has plenty to offer. Soon enough, the room filled up, the lights were brought low, and out came the band. Charismatic lead singer Mike Mattison took position center stage and instantly drew the crowd in, saying loudly, "How about some 'Soul Stew?'" For this song, each musician was given a chance to hit the notes--sort of a prelude of what was ahead--beginning with some funky bass bars from Todd Smallie. All night, there was a constant undulation of highly energetic wondrous music colored by a rich mixture of jazz, rock, blues, Latin, and Eastern Indian influences.
Into the second song, "Everything is Everything," Trucks pulled out his trademark slide and went to work. Mattison and Smallie teamed up for the chorus. Keyboardist Kofi Burbridge soloed out of an intense jam, colored by the streaming notes of Trucks. After the next chorus, a funky and playful bass solo found its way, backed up by drummer Yonrico Scott.
To start the third song of the warm night, Trucks keyed the band with some sharp, soulful chords, then the drummer came in and the band followed, launching a bluesy, "Feels So Bad." Mattison made the audience feel the loss of a love by digging deep to convey the emotive sting with his soulful and smoky voice. The band, at any moment, can slow the tempo down, which they did during this song, to an almost silence--there was just the gentle snare drum and light notes from Trucks' guitar. Then suddenly, Trucks started making long, drawn out notes with the slide, filling in the silence with space. Then his guitar hit it hard like thunder and the tempo picked up heavy as Trucks led the way. A this point, a screaming guitar overwhelmed all, and it became clear why Trucks is one of the best young guitarists out there today--he has a lot to say.
Trucks and Scott by Tamera Reisiger |
Trucks then went into, "Sahib Teri Bandi" with a tender, spacey solo that led to a tasteful drum accent that eventually mixed together to form a five minute jam that bled soul. Soon Burbridge took out his flute and joined in with the drums as Trucks took a brief break.
The band went on to play solid renditions of, "44 Blues," "Serenade," "Lonely Avenger," "Leavin' Trunk," and "Kam-ma-lay." Soon after came an instrumental version of Marley's "Rastaman Chant." With Trucks on his axe and Burbridge on the flute, the two traded licks, forming a light-hearted melody throughout with Derek's guitar singing the Marley vocals.
The show closed out with two of The Derek Trucks Band's live song staples, "For My Brother" and Rahsaan Roland Kirk's "Volunteered Slavery." After the smoking show the band returned for two intense blues soaked encores, "I Believe," and the other, "What'd I Say," to honor the late great Ray Charles.
Joshua Sabatini
JamBase | Massachusetts
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